“[T]hat can happen from within, call it in the least-splashy way as possible,” Snead said of improvement in 2019. “It could be that fifth-round draft choice from 2018 that didn’t play a lot this year and he is penciled in.”

Like rookie linebackers Micah Kiser and Ogbonnia Okoronkwo? Taken No. 147 and No. 160, out of Virginia and Oklahoma last Spring, respectively — who played primarily a special teams role, and did not see the field in 2018? Or would it be a guy like Southern Methodist product — turned Rams special teams member, defensive end Justin Lawler, who was selected in last year’s seventh round?

Maybe, maybe not. Entry-level roles exist in McVay’s system, though the Rams are for the most part a veteran team. However there were a few 2018 draft picks who budded in the Super Bowl season, and stuck a promising toe into significant professional action, like offensive tackle Joseph Noteboom, defensive end John Franklin-Myers, and center Brian Allen — each of whom played in 13 games or more en route to Super Bowl LIII.

Talking about developing talent is one thing as offseason conversations sweep the football media landscape — but focusing development has been a corner piece of the puzzle under McVay, especially when facing professional football’s harsh reality of losing the aged or familiar pieces that stand out and often go missing at season’s end.